Strange Life
by Light1
Summary: Alucard has followed Richter and Maria home but will he find his place in the human's world?


**Strange Life.**

Disclaimer: Castlevania belongs to konami not me. I am making £0.00 out of this fic, it is written purely because I have a burning need to create. Although I would like to own Alucard . . . then he'd be mine.

Rating: PG-13

Part: one of one

Setting: before SOTN

Authoress note: Different isn't always beneficial.

 **Strange Life**

His hands were clammy and his stomach was tight when he followed Richter though the doorway into the brightly lit kitchen. He found himself sticking close to the man, hunching his shoulders in an attempt to hide behind the shorter mortal. For a moment he fancied he could hear his father laughing at his fear.

"Richter!" A small woman, remarkably similar to Maria in appearance, threw herself at Richter when they entered the home. Adrian stepped back quickly right into Maria.

"You need to relax," Maria smiled at him. "Annette won't bite." She giggled at him. "Fancy you being afraid of Annette." He said nothing, how could he make her understand? To her monsters were something to fear but he'd never been afraid of big teeth and sharp claws, he'd grown up afraid of torches, mobs and the screams of women that brought the mobs down on the monsters.

"Annette, honey I can breathe," Richter was trying to detangle himself from his wife. But he didn't let go of her. It was pleasant to see the affection between them but it did little to dampen the fear that at any moment Annette would scream and then there would be many men and fire and he would have to run.

"Richter you're so thin," Annette was fussing. Adrian slowly stepped back again trying to subtly put Maria in front of him. Maria noticed and laughed.

"Annette," she called stepping away from him.

"Maria! You're safe," Annette treated Maria to the same forceful affection she had gifted Richter with. Adrian edged towards the door, only to be grabbed by Richter.

"Where do you think you're going?" the small man laughed. "Come sit, we will celebrate our return."

"Richter?" Annette said finally noticing Adrian. "Who is our guest?"

"My love, this is Alucard, we met him in the castle, it was only with his help that we stand before you now," Richter clapped Adrian hard on the back, the blow would have made a mortal man lurch forward but Adrian was tense, hard as stone and Richter winced as his hand went numb.

"Welcome then," Annette held tight to her husband. "Any friend of Richter's is welcome in our home." She smiled at him widely and it shocked him. Hadn't she noticed? How could she not? Maria had told him on the journey home of how Annette had been kidnapped by his father, could she not see the resemblance?

"Thank you, my lady," he dipped his head.

"So formal," she laughed. "Richter will knock that out of you for sure, never have I met such an oafish, brute as my husband."

"My love wounds me," Richter sighed in a typically over dramatic fashion. Adrian could not find it in himself to be amused.

"Sit the three of you," Annette commanded, they all obeyed. "Let me sort you out." Adrian frowned, unsure what she meant but learned soon that Annette meant to feed them. She put tankards before them filled with beer and started a fire. Soon the kitchen filled with the smell of meat roasting and vegetables stewing. Richter and Maria both seemed to enjoy it, Adrian swallowed bile at the stink. But when a plate was placed before him he forced some of the food down, concentrating hard to keep it in his stomach. His stomach had never been particularly tolerant of solid food, but he could stand it. No one commented on his lack of appetite and the conversation stayed jovial, with Richter becoming progressively drunker.

"Richter, would you put Maria to bed?" Annette said after a few hours. Adrian blinked; confused and glancing over noticed Maria had fallen asleep. The small woman was leaning on his arm. He'd been too tense to notice her soft weight against him.

"Of course, poor child is exhausted," Richter stood, wobbled a little but kept his footing. Adrian helped him lift Maria without waking her and watched as he carried her off into the depths of the house.

"Would you help me clear?" Annette said softly. "Normally I would not ask a guest to help, but I want to talk to you, I feel like you've hardly said a word." Adrian nodded and followed her over to the sink. He carried plates and cups over to her, concentrating on keeping his grip gentle so as not to break or crack the dishes. The tension in his body was exhausting him. He helped wordlessly, following soft commands without protest. Eventually he lifted a drying rag and started drying the dishes Annette washed. They did this in uncomfortable silence for a while before Annette eventually spoke.

"You look like him," Annette said. Adrian dropped the cup he was drying; it hit the work top and cracked. He lifted it only for Annette to take it from his unresisting hand. "Don't worry," she said softly. Adrian didn't know if she was talking about the cup or not. Annette stared hard at him and he did not dip his head or hide from her, what would the point be. "He frightened me," she admitted, "but he did not hurt me. I was trivial to him, boring. It was Richter he wanted." Adrian felt his stomach roll sickeningly when Annette reached out and placed her palm on his cheek, cupping his face. Her touch was soft and warm. "But you don't scare me," she said, "perhaps I am foolish, maybe we all are. You could bring that place down on us all." Adrian flinched. "But I don't think you will, not if our histories are true."

"Lady?" he said.

"You have helped us before," Annette said softly. "And now you have done so again." She smiled at him. "You do not need to fear us. To fear me."

"She's right, you don't," Richter's voice made him jump. The mortal was standing in the doorway, swaying gently. "We won't hurt you." He stepped forward and put a hand on Adrian's shoulder. "You are safe here."

For a moment Adrian believed them and was happy.

 **End**

Authoress note: Thank you for reading, please comment/review, I'd love to hear what you think.

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